Oh no, no, no. That won’t do. They can’t be seated next to each other. What if they fight? You can easily stab people with a fork, and I don’t want Claudio and Scarlett to be traumatized for life, so I’ll have to stay behind and mop off the blood. It’ll be a nightmare, and—
“So,” Jack drawls, and I wince, physically recoiling on my chair. “Care to explain what is going on?”
No one talks, looking between Jack, Nate, and me.
Stupid. I’m definitely stupid. Someday I’ll die because of my dysfunctioning brain.
“What do you mean?” I ask, but cringe internally. Yep, playing dumb isn’t going to get me anywhere. Time to go for a different approach.
“Well, since Evie had no idea who Scarlett and Claudio were, and they didn’t know her either, I’m guessing she didn’t come here with you last night. Unlike Nate, who seems to have made quite the impression.”
Yep. Screwed.
He doesn’t look mad, though. But with the panic I’m currently in, my radar might be reading him all wrong.
“Right,” I croak. “We, uh—Nate and I came here yesterday. For, uh—for a date. Together.” I look at him. One of his brow arches, waiting for me to elaborate. “Our second date, actually. Because, that’s what we do now, we… Date?”
He nods. “How long?”
“How long… What?”
“How long has it been going on?”
I pause, casting wary glances around me, but no one seems alarmed.Weird.
“Our first date was Tuesday night. And I… I’m sorry, if you’re mad, be mad at me, not him, he’s—”
“Why do you assume I’d be mad?”
Why?
“Well… Because of what happened 9 years ago? The whole reason you fought in the first place?”
“You’re dating,” he repeats slowly. “Why would I be mad aboutthat? Back then I thought he was trying to sleep with you. Which, I realize now, might have been more complicated than that. Also, I can’t seem to make myself clear on the fact thatI’ve changed. And that I know that you can take care of yourself. If he messes with your heart,thenI’ll get mad. There’s no reason for me to get madnow.”
“You’re not mad,” I say, more as a confirmation to myself than a real question. “Like, really not?”
He shakes his head, a soft smile lifting the corners of his lips.
“If you’re happy, I’m happy, Sunshine.”
“I’m calling double dates,” Ikram says, lifting his arm in the air. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, Ev’. I just don’t want you to be the third wheel and complain about PDAs because you feel lonely.”
“I can still join with someone, you know.”
“Yeah, like you would introduce one of your passionate fling tous.”
She grits her teeth, looking away. “I’m just saying I could.”
“And you’d be welcome to,” Jacks says kindly, glaring at Ikram who rolls his eyes in exasperation.
Evie seems to mull over it for a minute before she shrugs. “Nah, Ikram’s right. I don’t want to share you with people that don’t manage to hold my attention for more than 2 days.”
Ikram chuckles and they give each other a knowing look.
“I just don’t think I’m made for the kind of relationship you guys all found with each other.”
“And that’s okay,” I say, grabbing her hand over the table. “And if you want to join dates and complain about PDAs, you can.”
